Will Comstock, Brat, and Taylor stand against GOP attack on hungry kids, seniors, and military families?

by DPVA Press Office

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Will Comstock, Brat, and Taylor stand against GOP attack on hungry kids, seniors, and military families?

Republican Farm Bill would gut food assistance that helps feed over 750K Virginians - many of them children, seniors, veterans, and active military

RICHMOND, VA – Congressional Republicans today rolled out their long-teased “Farm Bill” that would make deep, “unworkable and cruel” cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that provides sustenance to over 750,000 Virginians, including thousands of children, seniors, veterans, and military families. Endangered Republican members of Congress Barbara Comstock (VA-10), Dave Brat (VA-07), and Scott Taylor (VA-02) so far have yet to speak out against this highly-partisan attack on vulnerable Virginians.

The Farm Bill introduced by Texas Republican Congressman Mike Conaway would slash SNAP benefits by over $20 Billion and impose draconian work requirements/eligibility rules that would cut out millions of recipients. Last year, more than 9% of Virginia families turned to SNAP when they hit hard times or were struggling to get by on low wages, with 74% of those being households with children. 35% of SNAP recipients in Virginia were elederly or disabled. SNAP was their lifeline when they had nothing else. The Republican Farm Bill would rip this lifeline away.

Moreover, 23,000 active duty service members and 1.5 Million veterans participate in SNAP, a great many of them residing in the Commonwealth of Virginia. With these SNAP cuts, the GOP could hurt hungry veterans and service members and their families who have sacrificed so much for our country.

Over the last four years, Virginia – thanks to the historic work of former First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe – has been a leader in the fight against hunger, particularly when it affects children, seniors, veterans, and active duty military. Among many important achievements, First Lady McAuliffe was able to secure $34 million in funding to provide school meals for food insecure Virginia kids. Now, more than ever, Virginians need our Republican members of Congress to follow the lead of Dorothy McAuliffe and other anti-hunger crusaders and stand up to these frightening partisan attacks on food insecure families.

Will Representatives Comstock, Brat, and Taylor support Trump’s SNAP-gutting Farm Bill or will they stand with Virginia’s food insecure families?

Do Comstock, Brat, and Taylor prioritize feeding their constituents or appeasing Trump and GOP leadership?

Will they fight for food insecure Virginians or sit and watch while our kids, seniors, and heroes suffer?

Silence is not a response when children, seniors, veterans, and military families are at risk of starvation.

The heartless and dangerous Farm Bill is now out in the open. Comstock, Brat, and Taylor must be made to break their silence and let their constituents know whether they support this shameful attack on Virginia's most vulnerable citizens.